Celebrating 25 Years in the Auction Industry

This month marks the 25th anniversary of Graham Auctions! Over this period of time, we have gone from a modest public auction in Calgary to one of the largest, most diverse auction companies in Western Canada.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have a loyal customer base and a dedicated staff. We are here today because of the ongoing support of our customers, hard work from our team and the community-like culture at Graham Auctions. They are the core of our business, and we place great value on the people that are a part of it.” -General Manager, Mike Orechow

Our Timeline

A look at where we started, what we have accomplished, and our plans for the future.

Where It All Started

Founder and President, Larry Graham got his start in the auction industry with MacLean’s Livestock Auction in Calgary, Alberta at age 15. It was the friendly people and the exciting atmosphere that helped him develop his passion for the industry.

So how do you become an auctioneer? The first step for most is attending Auction School. The craft of the auctioneer is a learned and practiced set of skills. Auctioneers aren’t only talking fast. They’re following a conversational rhythmic pattern of numbers in order based on attendees’ bids. In the following years, Larry attended the Western College of Auctioneering in Montana.

Western Canadian School of Auctioneering

After selling Regal Auction, he bought the Western Canadian School of Auctioneering in 1990. He taught hundreds of aspiring auctioneers everything there is to know about being an auctioneer.

First they learned the basics such as engaging potential buyers or keeping track of the auction count in real-time. Once ready, they covered more advanced skills like controlling their breath to maintain pace over longer periods of time.

Regal Auctions

Larry’s path in the auction industry led him to start Regal Auctions in 1985. He operated Regal Auctions in Calgary for the following four years before selling the company in 1989 to pursue a passion project.

The Beginning of Graham Auctions

In August of 1995, Larry and his wife Linda founded Graham Auctions. It began as a public auction specializing in vehicles, heavy equipment, tools and general consignment. As Graham Auctions continued to grow, it became a bit too busy to run both the auction school and a local auction company. After 10 years, they began to get so busy that they chose to sell the auction school and focus on Graham Auctions.

A Few Things We’re Proud Of

Since we opened up our doors, we have made it a priority to do everything we can to support local charities and social causes to give back to those in need.

Here are some of the amazing organizations we have supported over the years:

• The Mustard Seed
• Fresh Start
• Inn from the Cold
• Breakfast Clubs of Canada
• Calgary Food Bank
• Alberta Children’s Hospital
• Dozens of community sports programs

We also make regular donations to independent families in their time of need. Over the past 25 years we have supported our community through our dedicated charity fund.

Media & Publications

• Gold Winner for Calgary’s Favourite Auction, Postmedia Network Inc, 2019-2020
• “Business is booming at Calgary auction house”, CBC News, 2015
• “The Art of the Auction”, Shaw TV, 2013

Looking Ahead

In honor of Graham Auctions 25th anniversary, we wanted to thank you all for your continued support! Going forward, we aim to continue helping you find a ton of value and great deals through our internet auctions.

Our goal in the next chapter for Graham Auctions is to proceed on our path as a leader in our industry. Our focus will be on providing quality services and a positive customer experience.

We are very grateful to everyone who has been a part of our journey here.